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Woman, 65, shoots at would-be jewelry store robbers in Garden Grove

August 2, 2012 | 5:56
am

Police are still looking for five would-be robbers who were chased away from a Garden Grove jewelry store by a 65-year-old woman who fired at the suspects.

The attempted heist occurred Sunday at Continental Jewelry in the 12000 block of Brookhurst Street. Surveillance footage from the store shows a white SUV backing up to the front of the building and five men getting out, pillowcases in hand.

The men rush to the front of the counter and point handguns at the clerks and a customer. Seconds later the shots are fired and the men race back to the door, fighting to get out as the woman runs after them.

The SUV left before three of the suspects made it back inside the vehicle. Police said they were picked up about a block away.

Nothing was taken from the store and no one was hurt.

The incident marks the second time in a week that an Orange County store owner has used a gun to thwart a robbery. On Monday, two men attempted to rob a watch shop at Westminster's Asian Garden Mall, only to be stopped by a store owner who shot one of the suspects in the head. Both men were later apprehended by police.

Authorities said they don't know if the incidents are related, but cautioned store owners in using guns to protect themselves.

"Just like a police officer, when you fire that weapon and those rounds go down range, you have to be accountable for where those rounds end up," said Garden Grove police Lt. Jeff Nightengale.